Secretary-General of Muslim World League at Cairo University: ‘Absolute freedoms’ pose a threat to peace of our world

CAIRO – 24 December 2023: At the official invitation of Cairo University President Prof. Mohamed Elkhosht, Sheikh Dr. Muhammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, the Secretary General of the Muslim World League and the President of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, delivered a commemorative lecture in the main hall of Cairo University titled: "Developments in Thought Between East and West."

The lecture was moderated by the University President, in the presence of the Grand Mufti of Egypt, Dr. Shawki Allam, and a gathering of scholars, diplomatic and intellectual leaders, university presidents within and outside Cairo, as well as numerous academics and students from the university.

Dr. Al-Issa, at the beginning of his lecture, explained that human thought represents a lengthy trajectory, whether in its diverse topics or discussions at various levels, be it in religious, political, philosophical, cultural matters, or others. Consequently, there exists a substantial legacy of ideas, leading to profound debates around them.

 

He emphasized that the intellectual human heritage is considered the richest legacy left by human memory. It serves as the second criterion in recording human history, following historical events related to intense conflicts, especially religious and political wars.

The key distinction lies in that "what historical events have left of intense conflicts and wars represents the clashes of hard power, while the abstract intellectual heritage represents the debates of soft power, which advance and establish themselves, yet go within the realm of its wisdom, it does not extend beyond its peaceful scope, regardless of the intensity of the debates.

He expressed regret for those who fell into the trap of religious and intellectual provocation, writing articles and works filled with vicious language and daring accusations, revealing a low level of awareness and harming any just cause they might have.

Dr. Al-Issa emphasized the necessity for believers to adhere to wisdom, promote what is best, and avoid engaging with the ignorant. He highlighted that even those who present arguments deserving at least some consideration should be approached with caution. Therefore, it is important for individuals to always remember that they are not immune from error and do not represent absolute truth.

 

He pointed out that there is no renewal in religion itself; rather, renewal lies in scholarly interpretation (Ijtihad). It is the process of applying the religious text to real situations, referred to in the terminology of scholars of jurisprudence principles as "Tahqiq al-Manat," clarifying that each time and place has its own context that affects the purpose of the text. Because the law of Allah came to achieve the benefit of religion and the interests of the world, free from personal desires.

He continued, stating, "Religion is complete as Allah has perfected it, and there is no renewal within it. Rather, renewal lies in the diversity of interpretations in major issues according to its legal necessities... or people turning to religion after neglecting it." This is what is meant by the noble hadith: "At the beginning of every century Allah will send to this ummah someone who will renew its religious understanding”.

He explained, saying: "The concept of renewing religious discourse involves the adaptation of fatwas and provisions when necessary, considering changes in time, place, and circumstances."

He pointed out that scholars exerted two types of diligence. Firstly, they established the principles of Fiqh derived from the texts of Sharia, with the primary focus on the five major principles. The second type involved detailed jurisprudential issues, and it is essential for the jurist to possess jurisprudential competence. This begins with the ability to comprehend the text and then apply it to the current situation in a way that fulfills the legislator's intent. This is achieved through the jurist's diligence after making every effort in this regard. He continued, emphasizing the need to break free from blind adherence to any diligence constructed based on the circumstances of time or place.

He emphasized that earlier scholars did not compel anyone to adopt their diligence, recognizing that a true jurist is one who respects those who preceded him but exerts effort within his contextual framework of time and place. Deduction and diligence are not limited to any individual, time, or place.

He affirmed that scholars did not compel anyone to adopt their diligence, and the complete adherence to their previous texts without considering the necessity of adapting to the changing circumstances of individuals in terms of time, place, and situation turns our great Islamic Fiqh into an ideology. He continued saying: “The translation is: "We take pride in our jurists and value their jurisprudence. We still greatly benefit from their contributions to scientific knowledge, but it should not be treated as a legal text that we cannot deviate from”.

He also added: "There is no sanctity or infallibility except in Islamic legislation. This does not imply rejection or diminishing the status of our previous jurists; rather, they hold a significant place. We have gained much from them, learned from various jurisprudential schools, and continue to draw from the abundant resources of their jurisprudence. They have firmly established and enriched our Islamic Fiqh, needing no further completion”.

He addressed the prominent general features and intellectual changes that have occurred between the East and the West, highlighting points of divergence and convergence. Noting that the developments of the updates between the East and the West involve a wide range of issues related to the absolute concept and the risk to freedoms, which doesn't grant any consideration to religion or human nature. However, he pointed out in this context that a crucial issue revolves around the challenge of claiming that the entire West agrees with all the developments attributed to it by the East. As the West now is truly diverse in concepts, races, languages, cultures, and alliances, similar to the East being diverse in all these aspects, he emphasized: "The West is not uniform in its thoughts and culture, just as the East is not”.

He warned of threats to harmony between nations and people, manifested recently through religious provocations stemming from unrestrained freedoms that have marred the beautiful concept of liberties, such as incidents involving the burning of copies of the Holy Quran. He continued saying: "Absolute freedoms pose a threat to the peace of our world and the harmony of our national societies, especially in igniting clashes between civilizations”. He added that “And he continued, saying: "Many intellectual debates are often addressed through understanding or or convincing arguments within the pillars of dialogue, not just for the sake of dialogue itself”. As the pillars of productive dialogue lie in seriousness, effectiveness, the competence of the participants, their impact, the ethics of their presentation, and their transparency. Where all issues, including those with sharp angles, are presented as they are expressed without hiding for the sake of politeness. Otherwise, we will soon return to our starting point because the problem will not be resolved. Additionally, it is crucial to measure the results of the dialogue.

He said, "The failure of many dialogues is due to their loss of the mentioned requirements. Additionally, he added, 'It is better for each participant to speak in their native language,' explaining the reasons behind it. Indicating that a number of gaps have been identified due to speaking in a language other than the native language, especially concerning the accurate meaning of terms, the understanding of certain structures, and the connotation of words. Specifically, in these highly complex and profound scientific, intellectual, and philosophical contexts, this holds true only for those who are completely confident in what they say; they have a different matter to consider. Because when a participant speaks in their native language, they have stepped out of the consequences of the translation, as the translation is expected to be professional through high-level qualification and training, and those responsible for managing the dialogue bear the responsibility for it. Indeed, many dialogues often become weak due to those participants discussing these specific issues, particularly in deep scientific, intellectual, and philosophical matters with intricate terminology.

Dr. Al-Issa added: "Speaking in the native language on those official platforms like the United Nations and similar organizations that allow multilingualism is a source of pride and a support for it. In addition to the reverence apparent in those who speak in their native language on those platforms, particularly in international settings. However, in other cases, there is room for flexibility, and sometimes flexibility is required, especially when the discourse is directed towards a specific audience".

Regarding confronting hate speech and racism, Dr. Al-Issa highlighted significant developments, including the "Value-based Agreement to Combat Hate Speech and Racism”. This includes the United Nations General Assembly's decision to designate the 15th of March as a global day to combat Islamophobia, unanimously supported by all member states, including Western nations.

He concluded his lecture, stating, "The solution to intellectual debates lies in dialogue, under previously mentioned conditions, to reach points of convergence through understanding or conviction, depending on the topics”. This occurs through official institutions, whether governmental or non-governmental, including research and thought centers, universities, and major academic institutions. Additionally, it extends to United Nations platforms, such as the Alliance of Civilizations organization. Indeed, a serious and impactful dialogue is essential for our world to address these issues because we carry a noble message and high values, and it's essential for others to understand and, ideally, embrace them, or at the very least, effective dialogue ensures their comprehension. All of this unfolds in an atmosphere enriched with the nobility of character, refined manners, wisdom and avoiding insults or provocations regarding the uniqueness of religious and national identities. In addition to the importance of respecting the rights of others with dignity and prioritizing a positive perception of others.

As he added on this matter, speaking about the initiative of "Building Bridges Between East and West" launched by the Muslim World League in collaboration with the United Nations. This initiative goes beyond repetitive and unproductive dialogues, taking practical and earnest steps based on mutual understanding through an effective and fruitful dialogue. It establishes the foundations of bridges between the parties, addressing numerous exchangeable topics, which are ample in confronting clash of civilizations theories. It is also sufficient in enhancing friendship and cooperation among nations. Here, we use the terms East and West, despite the nuances we've mentioned, following the prevailing terminology.

In the conclusion of the lecture, which lasted for about ninety minutes, the Grand Mufti of Egypt commented, "The lecture has provided a roadmap to correct the path of religious thought." Following this, His Excellency Sheikh Dr. Muhammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa received the Golden Shield from the President of Cairo University on this occasion.